Grief

Saying goodbye is one of the hardest things a person can do. There’s something so final about it, something you wish you could linger in for longer than you should. Saying goodbye is one of the first turns on a long, winding road of hurt and healing. No matter how much it feels like it, you’re not alone. 

It’s hard to know where to start with this one. There is everything and nothing to say. Grief is so personal, so hard-hitting. It completely, viscerally shakes everything we know and turns us into a shell of our former selves. We wish we could leave it behind, but it follows us, overstaying its welcome.

How do we move past the impossible? Do we put a Band-Aid on a bullet hole? We can’t pretend it didn’t happen, like the weight we’re carrying isn’t crushing. There is no temporary fix that’s going to make it magically go away. As tempting as it may be, please don’t try to find one. 

In the meantime, strike a balance between reflection and distraction. We can assure you there are people currently in your life that may dull that pain for you, even for a moment. Find them. Let them in, just a little bit. You are worthy of the love you give.

For Nonna, from “Ju” 

Realistically, the only antidote to grief is time. All those Pinterest quotes you see about grief are cheesy, but they’re kind of true. It doesn’t go away, it just takes different forms. In some ways, grief is a nagging reminder that love once existed. Isn’t that a beautiful thing? It lets us know that we are human. It reminds us of our passions and our aspirations. It shows us our capabilities of being raw and open. Grief knocks us down because it knows we have the inner strength to get back up… eventually. 

When you’re dealing with loss, you are the only one that can take the healthy steps towards healing. You have to seek out your support network and deal with your grief in your own time, on your own terms. It’ll teach you those hard life lessons you never wanted to learn, but make you a better person for having experienced. Even though it doesn’t feel like it, It. Will. Get. Better. 

We hope this article shows you that in grief, there is strength. There is beauty. There is resilience. Find it. It may be deep within you, but we know it’s there. It’s in all of us.

Things that helped me grieve:

On-campus Resources

Movies

  • Uplifting; breakup: “Someone Great” by Jennifer Kaitlyn Robinson

  • Somber; growing up and grieving: “Little Women” by Greta Gerwig

My Grief Playlist 

Podcasts:

LifestyleJulia Johnson